1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for automatic call-up of goods in stores in which at least one virtual sample of the goods is displayed and generally accessible, wherein the goods call-up is operated by an electronic goods call-up unit and is associated with a customer identification code and is registered and transmitted to a warehouse, and wherein the ordered goods are assembled in the warehouse in a customer identification code-specific manner, and there is a central control unit for transfer and administration of all data. This invention also relates to a shopping center for executing the method of this invention.
2. Description of Prior Art
The sales system has hardly changed since the introduction of self-service shopping centers. Shopping carts are available at the entrance to the store, which are then pushed through the store by the customer, who takes the desired items from the shelves and places them into a shopping cart. This system entails several disadvantages.
First, the spaces between the shelves must be sufficiently wide so that two shopping carts can pass each other. Furthermore, a sufficiently large number of each item offered must be ready on the shelves. For this reason such stores require a lot of space, which is a considerable expense at the high rental rates per square meter.
Second, the shelves must be regularly restocked with goods from the warehouse. In stores with a large number of customers, this must take place even during the opening hours. However, this causes obstacles for the customers, since parts of the shelves are inaccessible. Furthermore, the boxes rolled out of the warehouse and the shopping carts get into the way of each other.
Third, the shelves must be regularly inspected in order to remove goods with outdated expiration dates.
Because the goods are freely accessible, theft and vandalism become easier. Stores of this type also have a correspondingly high loss rate.
Shopping is difficult and stressful during the main shopping hours, since the many shopping carts prevent rapid movement. In addition, long lines are created at the cash registers.
Although other known shopping systems, such as catalog sales, do not have this disadvantage, they do not provide a feeling of shopping. The goods cannot be judged beforehand, and it is furthermore necessary to fill out the order coupons with complicated numerical codes.
Shopping systems are furthermore known, which have a certain amount of automation. The customer himself no longer needs to place the goods into a shopping cart in the store, but instead, with the help of samples and with an input device he or she orders the desired goods, which are then put together in a warehouse connected with the input devices.
For example, a system is known from an IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 37, No. 3, and vol. 17, No. 9, which includes a sales room in which there exist a plurality of stations. The customer can place his or her order at these stations by using a customer-specific magnetic card. He or she selects the goods he or she wants to order from images shown on display screens.
The goods for sale can also be seen on display screens in the shopping system, as described in French Patent Reference FR-A-2,592,188.
These shopping systems have the disadvantage that the customers cannot inspect the goods which are for sale, and instead can only select them by images, similar to the known catalog system, and that only the selected pieces are available as samples.
For this reason samples of the goods are displayed in the systems as disclosed by French Patent References FR-A-2,693,643 and FR-A-2,694,487. However, these have been placed in a display case. Input units are available, from which the corresponding goods can be ordered. However, here, too, it is nearly impossible to pick up the goods in the hand and to read for example, the description of the goods or the contents printed on various sides of the packaging. Thus, this system does not bring an improvement in comparison with the known catalog systems.
Systems are also known, in which the customer can pick up sample goods in his or her hands. For example, a shopping system is known from European Patent Reference EP-A-0,570,913, in which the customer can stroll through a store with samples and can place orders by means of a device he or she holds in his or her hand.
German Patent Reference DE-A-4,134,872 describes a shopping system in which samples of the individual goods are arranged in groups on sales tables. An input device with a display screen is a part of each sales table, from which the appropriate goods can be ordered from stock.
One disadvantage of these conventional systems is that many customers are not confident of being able to operate such devices and therefore prefer a well-known shopping system.